The River Poem by L C Vieira

You whisper to me, 'I love you. I do.'
I sink in your lukewarm water of words.
My body surrenders, floating away,
curving to the natural pull
of your own stirring river of light.

I watch it, helpless from my rock,
clasping breaths with each bold cloud,
crushing stones, long weeds beneath my
struggling gasp, wide-eyed and wary -

Twists and turns stop and block
sweet smoothness of this prolonged journey;
you do not see my dark hands fumbling,
pushing back through thorns and brush -

distracting me, these tired feet,
slipping, shaking down this path.
Yet soon the clouds do pass.
Dark shadows leave. Clear light returns.

As all this world moves on and on,
thick waters widen, and I am swallowed
by their depths, your words, our river.
So we are carried on and on,

and I hear my own true song call -
'I love you. I do. I do. I do.'
The river rolling on with two,
a new light added to the one,
The river rolling on far brighter,
bolder, bigger than before.


(2003, Revised 2012)